Passavant re-designated as acute stroke-ready facility

The Illinois Department of Public Health has re-designated Passavant Area Hospital as an acute stroke-ready facility.

That means the hospital can provide rapid medical access within a narrow 60-minute treatment time, according to Jerrod Wilson, Emergency Department nurse manager.

“It’s critical that stroke patients receive medical attention immediately,” Wilson said. “Each second a patient waits for treatment denies the brain of needed blood and oxygen. Immediate treatment may minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.”

Wilson said having the program “allows us to provide timely treatment and prepares the patient for transfer to a primary stroke center, such as Memorial Medical Center.”

A stroke occurs when a vessel in the brain is blocked by a blood clot or ruptures. A stroke caused by a clot is called an ischemic stroke and about 85 percent of strokes are ischemic. The only treatment for ischemic strokes is tissue plasminogen activator, which dissolves the clot and improves flow to the part of the brain being deprived of blood.

If administered within three hours, the treatment may improve the chances of recovering from a stroke.

“Development of our program was truly a team effort,” Wilson said. “We work together to continually evaluate and refine our guidelines and processes to achieve the very best outcomes for our stroke patients.”